MUSIC not only soothes the savage breast - a shop in South Cheshire is discovering it can combat anti-social behaviour.

Staff at the United Co-operative convenience store in Rope Lane, Shavington, are playing classical music to get rid of troublesome youths - and so far it has proved successful.

The store says it has been plagued by groups of teenagers who have been intimidating shoppers and staff for months.

But now, when staff spot a group of youngsters gathering outside, they simply crank up the volume and blast out a track from a compilation CD featuring music by Beethoven, Chopin and Tchaikovsky.

The shop, which has also placed pyramid block-paving outside to make it hard to stand on, is one of four in the country to introduce the approach.

A pilot project carried out at a shop in Manchester suggested that piping classical music around a shop entrance really can deter yobs.

Bosses say the scheme has proved successful because most youngsters simply can't stand the sound of it.

They decided action was needed to tackle the problem after the situation reached crisis point when members of staff and shoppers were continually abused by gangs of youths.

Paul Winstanley, group loss prevention manager of the United Co-operative, said: 'This store has been plagued with anti-social behaviour with youths congregating outside the store, sometimes as many as 30, which can be very intimidating.

'We've found that by playing classical music from speakers outside the store, when they start to hang around near the shop, disperses them.

'They don't seem to like it. Most youngsters like rap or street music, not classical.'

Staff at the branch say they have yet to get the chance to listen to the second track on the album as the youngsters move off once they get a burst of the CD.

Shavington parish councillor Alan Dickinson has welcomed the classical music scheme. He said: 'I think anything that is done to lessen the problem of young people hanging around the store is a good thing.'

Shavington community action team officer, PC Dan Loveridge added: 'We have had problems with large groups of teenagers outside the shop.

'But over the past few weeks things have started to quieten down. 'We are always telling people that a partnership approach is the only way to prevent crime and disorder. This is a classic example of the way to go about it.'